Commercial transporters and private car owners in Osogbo have lamented the sudden increase of pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, on Tuesday.
Media Talk Africa had reported that the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL Mele Kyari had, on Tuesday announced the adjustment of PMS pump price to N617 per litre.
Before May 29, the pump price of PMS was about N195 per litre.
Speaking with Media Talk Africa, an Osun resident, Kareem Mohammed lamented that he was just recovering from the upward adjustment to over N500 per litre and within two months, he has to adjust to another upward adjustment.
“It is common in Nigeria that whatever goes up never comes down. Who do we blame for this and where do we go to for help?” He lamented.
Jamiu Mohammed, a commercial motorcyclist said he will have no choice but to adjust the fare he collects from passengers.
“The good thing is that most passengers don’t complain since they know how much petrol costs now.
“I just pray this increase doesn’t send most of us out of this business,” he said.
Segun Adekile, a Keke operator in Ori-Oke Pure Water area, a suburb of Osogbo said he looked forward to what lies ahead.
He explained that his idea of fuel subsidy removal was that after a while, the high fuel cost would start to reduce until it gets to a balance point.
He said, “I am not against fuel subsidy suspension but as it is, certainly I am not happy. I have a business to run and I also have a family to feed.
“I thought after the initial hardship, things will come back to normal but this is almost two months after, there is no hope yet in sight that we will get out of this hardship soon.”
Some civil servants whose opinions were sought blamed the upward increase on the pull of demand and supply and market forces.
He said employers of labour should consider reviewing the salaries and wages of their workers.
Samuel Kolade said, “the President should announce an increase in the minimum wage.
“This is the palliative we need and not N8,000 to poor households as it is being planned.”
Media Talk Africa observed that most petrol stations in town have adjusted their pumps and were dispensing PMS at the new pump price of N617 per litre.
Also, there was no panic buying observed and no queues in the petrol stations.
